


Postmark to Kerberos

by orphan_account



Series: One Shots & Shorts [14]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Memories, Prekerberos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 05:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15942455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Space and the multitude of possibilities in the vast universes are endless. Takashi Shirogane loves space – even after the Galra tortured him and took away his arm. Even after nightmares lick the back of his mind and leave scratches in the walls barricading his darkest thoughts.Even now, as he lies unmoving on a planet with depleting oxygen levels.





	Postmark to Kerberos

Space and the multitude of possibilities in the vast universes are endless. Takashi Shirogane loves space – even after the Galra tortured him and took away his arm. Even after nightmares lick the back of his mind and leave scratches in the walls barricading his darkest thoughts. 

Even now, as he lies unmoving on a planet with depleting oxygen levels. 

Shiro doesn’t remember how he ended up here, all he can remember now is the way Keith’s eyes remind him of swirling nebulas and stardust. A small smile tugs his lips when his eyes drift shut. 

“Keith…”

 

* * *

  
  
  


The sun catches fires in Keith’s messy hair while Shiro counts sunburnt freckles like he does constellations through a telescope. 

11 hours, 35 minutes, 17 seconds until launch. 

But Shiro isn’t counting time as drifting grains of sand in an hourglass labeled  _ Kerberos _ .

The way Keith smiles leaves an ache in Shiro’s heart and a little black box burns a hole in his leather jacket. For two weeks, Shiro saved up what money he made as a graduate assistant in the Garrison’s ranks, to order a ring as special as Keith. 

Black tungsten inlaid with a piece of real meteorite had arrived yesterday in Shiro’s mailbox just in time, but now he’s running out of chances to finally ask the question burning his every synapse. Doubts linger in his mind because he’s yet to even kiss Keith but he wants to ask Keith to marry him.

To wait for his return from a trip with no expiration date. 

The Garrison said five months but if the mission to Kerberos is a success, he could be in space for years. Now is the time to ask Keith to marry him before it’s too late.

“Keith,” Shiro says, drawing Keith’s cosmic gaze.

“Yeah, Shiro?”

He pulls out the ring box and meets Keith’s eyes. 

 

* * *

  
  


Shiro gasps as a fresh wave of oxygen makes his lungs expand. His eyes lock onto purple galaxies and a scar burnt into pale flesh. 

“Keith,” he gasps and realizes, too late, Keith’s removed his helmet in favor of putting it on Shiro’s head. 

The planet has low oxygen but Keith is already taking labored breaths. “As many – times – as it – takes,” Keith gasps. 

Tears shine in Shiro’s eyes when he sees the tungsten meteorite ring on a black cord around Keith’s neck. He never takes it off, always wearing the ring under his clothing. A promise for a distant day. 

“Keith,” Shiro whispers, reaching up to touch Keith’s hair. Frost is already freezing the ends. “Take the helmet back.” 

Keith shakes his head. “No – lions– on the– way–.” 

Shiro tries to tell Keith to breathe slowly but Keith’s eyes flutter and he barely has time to catch Keith before he faints. Panic makes Shiro rip the helmet from his head and push it back down on Keith’s. He cradles Keith’s head and drops his eyes to their ring. 

 

* * *

  
  


He pulls out the ring box and meets Keith’s eyes. “Keith, I know this is a lot to ask but I can’t go to Kerberos without trying.” 

Keith’s eyes widen when he sees the black box. “Shiro?” 

“I know this probably seems insane, we haven’t even kissed, but when I’m with you I feel so content. My soul is at peace around you – I– I don’t expect a yes but I had to try. I know we’re meant to be,” Shiro says and hopes he doesn’t sound as insane as he feels. 

Shiro opens the box to show Keith the ring. He can recall every moment Matt called him an idiot in the past few months as Keith takes the box in clear confusion. He knows the answer before Keith can form the reply.

“Yes,” Keith whispers.

Shiro’s eyes widen as Keith’s answer smacks him hard in the chest. Not the one he expected. “What?” 

“Yes, I’ll wait for you.” 

“Keith…” 

Keith takes the ring and slips it over his finger but too late, Shiro realizes the ring is too big. His heart shatters into thousands of pieces. 

“Oh, no,” Shiro gasps. “I– I don’t have time to have it resized.” The passage of time feels faster and the grains in Kerberos’ hourglass mock his arrogance.

“Shiro, it’s okay. I have some leather cord I can put it on… Easier to wear and not lose that way.” Keith tucks the ring away safely. “Thank you.” 

Shiro’s cheeks heat up. “You’re welcome.” 

They shyly link fingers under the sunset and Shiro feels their bond strengthen.

 

* * *

  
  
  


60 days. 

Shiro stares at the wall of his prison cell blankly while he uses a sharpened stone to carve another tally. For two months he’s been held in enemy clutches forced to fight for his life. For two months he’s been the Galra’s plaything. 

He turns his eyes to his right hand and lifts the metal to his eyes. The pain wracked by his disease is gone but he can still feel the pain of where his arm used to be. A phantom ache deeper than any superficial wound. 

_ “Stronger now, Champion,” _ the witch had promised him when he woke to see his new arm. A weapon built of alien technology.

Her words remind him of poisonous fumes but the promise of running his fingers through black waves one more time makes him focus on push-ups. Staying in shape is his only chance of seeing Keith again. 

If his timing is correct, Keith’s birthday is next month. He’ll be nineteen.

The witch is right – he is stronger than he’s ever been and soon their hold over him will crumble. Soon, he will be home.

  
  
  


* * *

 

Joy fills Shiro when he realizes home is not a place for him but home exists in a spit-fire soul with black hair and a gaze fit or galaxies. He tucks the ring back in Keith’s suit and cradles Keith closer. He feels his mind become drowsy and fade back into pleasant memories. 

 

* * *

  
  


15 minutes, 13 seconds until launch. 

Shiro’s arm is around Keith’s shoulders, the ring is around Keith’s neck, and the sun is rising brightly. The hourglass is almost empty. Their time is running out and Shiro feels he still has so much to say. Three words lodge deep in the back of his throat but he’s allergic to his own feelings and cannot force them out. 

“Can’t believe you’re really going to be in space,” Keith says and Shiro goes stargazing in his eyes.

“Yeah,” Shiro whispers. “It’s a dream come true. I’m really going to be up there.” 

Keith turns to face him, the rising sun providing a fiery halo. Shiro wonders if this is what gazing into a solar eclipse is like and he feels his heart go through all seven stages of grief.

“You’ll be amazing, Shiro,” Keith says.

Shiro wants to kiss him but they’re out of time. “Keith, I…” The words stay lodged in his throat.

Keith’s smile is blinding and he presses something into Shiro’s hand. “Go, be great.” 

 

* * *

  
  


“Shiro…  _ please _ , fight for me.” 

The distress in Keith’s voice, like knives in Shiro’s sternum, make his eyes open. The room is bright but he immediately focuses on Keith and the fallen stars on his cheeks. He reaches up to catch one on his thumb, rubbing the wet away, and making Keith gasp.

“Shiro! You’re alive!” 

“Was I not earlier?” Shiro asks. “I was dreaming… Of you.”

“You put my helmet back on me.  _ Why _ did you do that–.” 

“Because I love you, too” Shiro whispers. The words finally unlodge as he recalls the clone’s memories. “And the world isn’t worth living in without you.” 

Keith leans down to kiss him and the kiss feels like every desperate plea he’s ever had. The kiss feels like every ache and scream and fight he’s pushed through to be here at Keith’s feet. He loves Keith more than he loves space and all of its wondrous possibilities.

“Hey,” Shiro whispers. “Remember at the launch, you handed me a letter.” He remembers when he boarded the shuttle, he’d opened his hand to see the envelope simply scrawled with his name  _ Shiro  _ on the front. He remembers opening the letter to read and how the words had made him cry. He’d stood inside the shuttle and missed Keith then and he hadn’t even left Earth’s orbit.

“Yes,” Keith replies.

“You postmarked it to Kerberos.” Shiro chuckles. “I– I lost it during the attack. You don’t happen to remember what you wrote do you?” 

Keith smiles slightly. “I do.” 

“Tell me?” 

Keith nods and links their fingers. “Dear Shiro…”

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [tumblr](http://pining-sheith.tumblr.com/)


End file.
